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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24098107">Interest</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/FuryTigresse/pseuds/FuryTigresse'>FuryTigresse</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>NieR: Automata (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Ending E Spoilers (NieR: Automata), F/M, Hacking, Kissing, Misunderstandings, Post-Canon, Romance</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 23:28:32</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,963</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24098107</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/FuryTigresse/pseuds/FuryTigresse</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>There is only so much 9S can learn about a subject before something else piques his interest more. As 2B follows her orders, the only thing that keeps her going is the thought that at least she'll always be new and interesting to him.</p><p>Until everything goes wrong and they find themselves with one new life at the end of it all, that is.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>2B/9S (NieR: Automata)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>79</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Interest</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Help! I've been attacked by a new hyperfixation D: And I don't even own the game yet (it's ordered, and I've seen someone play all of it, I just haven't played it myself).</p><p>I'm not sure how much I'll write for this fandom, but this was literally just going in circles in my head all day while I was working and I had to get it out so that I could actually work in the next few days instead of thinking about this xD Ahh I hope I got them in character at least a bit.</p><p>I've also noticed a trend in my favorite characters. Most of them are people who end up going absolutely feral if their important person gets hurt (that might be why I love both 2B and 9S so much).</p><p>As usual, my first language isn't English and I type pretty fast, so let me know if you see any mistakes or typos!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>2B walked calmly, on her guard but otherwise mostly relaxed, watching and listening idly as 9S went on and on about the flora and fauna in the area and the way they had retaken the world that once belonged to humans and how fascinating it was. 2B didn't quite care about it, but she still listened, unable to bring herself to stop the Scanner.</p><p>She had watched this happen times and times again. It was always the same with every 9S. The boy got curious about a subject and started studying it, always seeking knowledge. He would then obsess about it for a few days, sometimes a few weeks if the subject was particularly interesting, and then he'd drop it and move on to a new interesting thing that piqued his interest once the previous subject didn't have anything new for him to discover.</p><p>It was that part that 2B dreaded every single time.</p><p>She wasn't blind nor oblivious. And she wasn't as cold and insensitive as she tried to appear.</p><p>Every 9S... every single <em> Nines </em> ended up showing interest in her. It terrified her and filled her with pure happiness at the same time. <em> Her </em> Nines. All hers. Cute Nines. Sweet Nines. Kind, beautiful Nines. Always so perfect and always <em> hers. </em></p><p>But emotions were prohibited. Doubly so in her case, because getting attached to 9S - because <em> loving </em> 9S - only to betray and kill him with her own hands later on also killed a bit of herself.</p><p>And yet, how could she feel any other way? She couldn't help it. When he looked her way and smiled this beautiful smile of his, when he called out her name with fondness and joy in his soothing voice, when he got really cute and excited about something and couldn't wait to share it with her, she could only fall for him more and more every single time. There was something about 9S, about every 9S, every Nines, that would draw her to him no matter how much she hated herself for feeling that way. She didn't deserve him. She didn't deserve his interest. She didn't deserve the stolen kisses they had shared before, throughout several lives of his but only one of hers.</p><p>Inevitably, she'd have to kill him eventually, again, and again, and again. She'd have to mourn him quickly and pretend she didn't remember him when he came back, 9S still, but not the same 9S.</p><p>There was only one thing that kept her going when she would close her hands around his warm, soft neck, or when she would stab him right through his black box, and he would look at her with pain, physical and emotional, because she had betrayed him once more.</p><p>A 9S who didn't remember her meant that 2B would once again be new and interesting to him.</p><p>It was sick and wrong and twisted, and she was deeply aware of that, just like she was aware that the thought of 9S losing interest in her would always make her black box thump erratically in her chest with hurt and fear.</p><p>"2B?"</p><p>She didn't want to lose him. She was horrible and selfish, but she didn't want to lose him.</p><p>"2B."</p><p>Why did it have to be him? Why did he have to be hers? Her partner. Her target. Her most precious, important person.</p><p>"2B."</p><p>A hand gently landed on her shoulder and she flinched away from it, snapping out of her thoughts. She only just now noticed that she hadn't been paying attention to her surroundings for several minutes. A mistake. They could have gotten attacked during that time and 9S... 9S could have gotten injured.</p><p>She didn't have the right to be angry at that thought. She had hurt 9S far more than anything or anyone else.</p><p>"What is it, 9S?" she finally said, knowing even without seeing his eyes that the Scanner was looking at her with sweet concern.<br/>
"You're spacing out. Are you feeling all right? Should I perform diagnostics-"<br/>
"I'm okay," she interrupted him, trying to keep her voice level and emotionless. "I can take care of myself."<br/>
"Okay, okay, I got it."<br/>
"One affirmation will suffice."</p><p>She could feel him rolling his eyes despite his visor hiding them. He sighed and shook his head, turning away from her to keep on walking, Pods 042 and 153 hovering nearby.</p><p>"So cold, 2B."</p><p>The combat android started moving again too.</p><p>"Emotions are prohibited," she simply stated by way of explanation.</p><p>She heard him grumble a little at that, and she couldn't help but smile a little now that he wasn't looking at her. He was so cute. And she knew him enough to know that it wouldn't take much to make him stop sulking.</p><p>"9S," she called out, dropping her smile in favor of her usual indifferent mask.</p><p>He turned towards her and almost faceplanted when his foot got caught in a root. He luckily managed to grab one of Pod 153's arms to avoid falling, but he was still cringing in embarrassment once he stood straight again. 2B could feel his temperature wildly rising even from where she was.</p><p>"Yikes, that was... uh, anyway, what is it, 2B?"</p><p>She looked at him quietly for a moment, just to watch him squirm a little, then she finally offered him a small smile, her black box's pulse accelerating when 9S's breath caught in his throat at the sight.</p><p>"Tell me more about the flora around here," she prompted, and she watched with delight as he perked right up.<br/>
"Oh! Uh, okay! Let's see..."</p><p>He started explaining away once more, turning to look where he was going, and 2B's smile grew larger.</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>But it always ended the same way.</p><p>She had to kill him. Again.</p><p>And then he didn't remember her. Again.</p><p>
  <em> "Better make sure he's actually dead next time. That was dangerous, ma'am." </em>
</p><p><em> Ma'am. </em> She hated the formality. Her beautiful, sweet, kind 9S speaking like that always broke something inside of her.</p><p>
  <em> "You're 2B, right? My name's 9S. I'm here to provide support." </em>
</p><p>She knew he didn't remember her. She knew it wasn't his fault. She knew it was <em> her </em> fault. For killing him. Again.</p><p>Seeing him sacrifice himself for her didn't hurt any less. Having to abandon him to possibly die again didn't hurt any less. And then they were surrounded, with no way out.</p><p>
  <em> "2B... it was an honor to fight with you. Truly." </em>
</p><p>His smile, when she replied that the honor was hers. At least this time they were together.</p><p>And then...</p><p>
  <em> "Ma'am? Are you there? Can you hear me?" </em>
</p><p>Oh.</p><p>
  <em> "Morning. The Commander's put me in charge of your maintenance, ma'am." </em>
</p><p>He didn't... remember her? But... he hadn't found out the info he wasn't supposed to find. They didn't have any reason to start him anew. Plus, he had backed up her data. She remembered the encounter.</p><p>
  <em> "Um, I did that? Sorry, I don't remember. There wasn't a whole lot of bandwidth down there, you know? I probably had only enough time to back up your memories. Mine are only intact up to the point just before we rendezvoused." </em>
</p><p>He had forgotten her again. This time she hadn't been the one to kill him, but the end results were the same.</p><p>She felt her chest tighten in pain, but she tried comforting herself in the fact that at least she was new and interesting to 9S again. He would come back to her. Eventually.</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>Then... then YoRHa was gone.</p><p>The Bunker had exploded.</p><p>No more back-up bodies. No more orders from Command to kill 9S because Command was gone anyway.</p><p>2B remembered the virus, and A2, and calling out to <em> Nines </em> as she fell, her own sword through her body. She remembered being dead, until suddenly she wasn't. She was alive, once more, with 9S. With Nines. Even if it took some work to get him working again. One last chance. She thanked whatever or whoever was watching over them. It would be good. It would be happy. Nines was with her. She didn't have to kill him. She didn't have to be forgotten again.</p><p>But the fear. The fear was there, with every passing day, as they went about their new lives. The fear that 9S would want to learn more about her, and this time she wouldn't have anything to rely on like before. No new 9S. No new and interesting 2B for him, if he ever found out everything there was to know about her and then lost interest in her. She wouldn't be 2E ever again. She wouldn't kill him. Not for that. He deserved so much better.</p><p>He was still her Nines, despite everything. More cautious than before, after what had happened. Still kind and sweet, but... but this time he remembered her. This time, he knew that her true designation was 2E. This time, he knew that she had killed him again and again. This time, he tried even harder to get closer to her, to learn more about her, to discover who she truly was underneath the cold mask that she couldn't help but wear still.</p><p>And she fell for him more and more with each passing day, with every smile he threw her way, with every whisper of her name, with every beautiful expression on his face when she called him Nines, with every gentle touch they shared even if he should have resented and feared her for killing him so many times. How could he be so <em> good? </em> How could he be so kind to her? How could he be so sweet?</p><p>Androids didn't have nightmares, and yet 2B was starting to wonder what to call the horrible images that her processors summoned during her resting times. They became so frequent that they started plaguing her during the day, and she could feel herself closing up again, refusing to let Nines... to let 9S come any closer to her. If he didn't find out everything about her, then he'd keep trying to study her, right? He would stay intrigued. He would stay interested.</p><p>But there was hurt in his voice when he joined her in their room at the Resistance Camp one day, his visor off and his beautiful eyes filled with incomprehension. He wasn't smiling. She hated that. She wanted to see his smile. She wanted him to smile for her.</p><p>"Hey... 2B?" he said quietly, his soothing voice trembling.</p><p>She finished getting dressed for the day and put her visor on. Something flashed in the Scanner's eyes at the sight, quick and painful, but it went away before she could fully register it.</p><p>"What is it, 9S?"</p><p>The thing from before flashed again. This time, it stayed. What was it? She couldn't quite decipher it.</p><p>"Um, I was wondering... did I... did I do something wrong?"</p><p>It was guilt she saw in his eyes. And now she was the one confused.</p><p>"What do you mean?"</p><p>He shrugged helplessly.</p><p>"It's just- you've been so cold to me these past few days. I thought... I thought we were getting closer, but.... guess I was wrong," he mumbled towards the end, looking away.</p><p>He looked so sad and vulnerable. 2B's black box thumped painfully.</p><p>"9S..."</p><p>Her Pod chose that moment to chime in, hovering closer with a soft whirr. She couldn't see 153 anywhere. 9S had probably left it outside before coming in.</p><p>"Analysis: unit 9S does not comprehend the sudden change in attitude of unit 2B. Proposal: unit 2B should state her true feelings."<br/>
"Wha-"<br/>
"If no such statement is made, this Pod will-"<br/>
"Stop!" she ordered it. "Just- stop. I'll... explain. Go back to your previous station and perform a complete maintenance check. Come back online in two hours."<br/>
"Affirmative."</p><p>2B waited until Pod 042 was away, then heaved a deep sigh. She looked back towards 9S, who was stubbornly looking away from her, and she took a few steps towards him. He flinched visibly, making her stop, her chest tightening.</p><p>"9S..."</p><p>He didn't move, didn't respond. She tried again.</p><p>"9S?"</p><p>Nothing. She sighed.</p><p>"Nines."</p><p>He blinked, and a singular tear fell and rolled down his pale cheek. He finally turned to look at her, his beautiful eyes wet.</p><p>"... you haven't called me that in <em> days. </em> Damn it," he chuckled wetly, his voice breaking, "I can't... do this. I can't be angry at you. Not when you call me Nines."<br/>
"You're angry at me?"<br/>
"I'm not. I should be. I should fear you, or hate you, or be mad that you killed me so many times. But I'm just sad that I don't understand you as well as I thought I did."</p><p>2B took another step forward, and this time Nines didn't move. She stopped right in front of him and wiped the tear away, then slipped her visor off, leaned forward and pressed a gentle, chaste kiss on Nines's lips. He gasped into it and opened wide eyes.</p><p>"... 2B?" he murmured hesitantly when they broke it.<br/>
"Was that too much?"<br/>
"Nonono, not at all! Just... out of nowhere, is all. What was that for?"</p><p>There was still hurt in his eyes, but it was slowly getting replaced by curiosity and hope. 2B offered him a gentle smile, genuine, albeit sad.</p><p>"That was to apologize for hurting you so much."<br/>
"Ahh... ah? Eh? I'm... not sure I get it."</p><p>She nodded softly and took his hand to pull him to her bed. They sat side by side on the edge of the mattress, still holding hands, and 2B looked down at them, unwilling to see Nines's expression for now.</p><p>"You didn't do anything wrong. It's me. I'm... I've... lost you so many times. By my own fault, admittedly, but I still... lost you. And every time, you forgot about me. About... us."<br/>
"That must have hurt," he said quietly, squeezing her hand in his own, and 2B fought back the tears. Why was he so good to her? Her sweet, kind Nines.<br/>
"It did. But I did it anyway, again and again, because orders are orders... and because I couldn't- I couldn't..."<br/>
"2B."</p><p>She finally turned to look at him, and he used his free hand to caress her cheek very gently. She leaned into the touch, closing her eyes with a shaky breath.</p><p>"When you find something new and interesting, you get really excited about it," she ended up saying, deciding to take a new approach since the other one was too difficult. "You go on and on about it for days or weeks."<br/>
"I... do. I'm sorry?"<br/>
"Don't be. That's not-" She took another deep breath, and this time she looked into his eyes as she reopened her own. "When you're done studying your new interest, you switch to something else. And then this new thing is all you talk about."<br/>
"I'm a Scanner model, that's- oh."</p><p>She saw the realization dawn on him and his eyes, his beautiful eyes, lit up with comprehension then. He leaned forward so he could press his forehead to hers.</p><p><em> "That's </em> what made you do this?" he chuckled brokenly. "You didn't want me to learn more about you so that I wouldn't lose interest in you?"<br/>
"I don't want to lose you again," she admitted in a sob, letting the tears fall down. "Nines..."<br/>
"Damn it, 2B... I couldn't... I..."</p><p>They both started crying then, eventually giggling through their tears at how dumb the situation actually was. They were both so scared to lose the other.</p><p>It took ten good minutes before they started calming down, at which point they only nuzzled each other fondly, waiting for their speech functions to be back. Nines was the first to recover, and he pulled 2B against him. He was smaller, he was frail, he was weaker than her, and yet she felt safe in his arms as he rubbed a hand against her back soothingly.</p><p>"2B... I told you... about what happened after... after I saw you die. But... I didn't... say anything about how I <em> felt </em> after seeing you die."<br/>
"Nines..."<br/>
"I wanted to kill everyone... and everything. Myself included. I wanted to have my revenge on the entire world and then kill myself so I could join you wherever you were. So I could be with you again."</p><p>He pressed himself against her a little more, and then he very slowly, very carefully, hacked into her. Not to hurt her. Not to see her thoughts. But to share his own, to share his feelings and his deepest desires. There was one feeling that stood above all others. One desire that stood above all other desires.</p><p>Nines loved 2B. Nines wanted to be with her forever.</p><p>When he retreated cautiously, 2B pulled him into her consciousness, lowering her defenses and letting him in. She heard him gasp when he touched her memories, and she willingly opened herself as much as she could, sharing everything with him so he would understand.</p><p>The pain. The joy. The fear. Her love for him.</p><p>They stayed like this for a while, exploring each other until finally they had their fill for now, and then Nines pulled back, exiting 2B's consciousness, only to press his lips against her own. The kiss was longer this time, and 2B smiled into it. She felt Nines do the same, and he chuckled as they moved back.</p><p>"I learned an awful lot about you just now," he murmured, already coming back for another kiss. "But all that does is make me want to learn even more about you, 2B."</p><p>Cheesy dummy. 2B still felt like her black box was about to combust, but this time it was in a good way.</p><p>"Nines? I love you."<br/>
"I love you too. Stay with me?"<br/>
"Forever."</p>
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